The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-10

look at the place where his BODY lies. and there
after to look steadily upward to the heaven to
which he assembled"
MR. BEECHER's PERSONAL TRAITS.
Major Ponds Observation-Disclosures and Do
ings of the Great Preacher.
New York Tribune.
Maj. j. B. Pond has travelled with Mr. Beechor
for the past ten years. Mr.. Beecher doing the
lecturing and Major Pond managing their
mutual venture. Major Pond was just writing
letters to two of Mr.. Beecher's cid friends, in
forming them Of his fatal illness. To one, Mrs.
Drury, of Canandaigua. who WAS introduced to
Mr.. Beecher by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Major
Pond wrote that on Tuesday last Mr. Beecher
was in cheerful mood, and talked animatedly of
his Life of Christ" Another friend was an old
lady living in Lawrenceburg, Ind, who was one
of the pioreer members of Mr.. Beechers church
there, and who came on to Peekskill, summers,
to visit her old pastors home. Major Pond was
performing this duty because he knew it would
be in accord with Mr.. Beecher's wishes.
"Mr Beecher." said Major Pond. twas demo
cratic through and through. No matter what
ones position it was the man he looked at
There was never more marked exhibition of
this trait of his than at the dinner he gave at H.
danapolis last year. to his old friends and par
shioners. The old lady friend of whom l have
spoken, in poor circumstances though she was.
sat next to Mr.. Beecher in the seat of honor
Rich and poor were intermir gled down the table.
His poor parshioners and their children and
grandchildren were there and Mr.. Beechers face
beamed with happiness. l was just writing to
the old lady that on Tuesday last Mr.. Beecher
was in high spirits and told me that before he
MIR nOadi To fho .yfo IF fbpct 1a
felt like first going a spree Do You know
what going a spree meant with himg Why,
going around town to look at some brie-a brac.
stare In shop windows, look at pictures and
things of that sort.
Il first came in contact with Mr.. Beecher ia
1872. when the Redpath Bureau, in which was
a partner engaged him to deliver seventeen con-
secutive lectures for $l2, 900. $4,000 being in ad-
vance, he to have expenses paid and a special
That was 500 a lecture. the bureau
cleared So 600 He went out as far as Chicago.
In 1876 took him personally. For tie season
1867 he netted for himself SAL. $50; for 1878,
$27200 for 1889, $2l, 200: for 1879 80. when he
did but little lecturne So $780, and he has aver
aged about the same SINCE making total of
about $40 600 for the ten years for which have
his receipts. He delivered in thar time over
twelve hundred lectures and Travelled 400. 900
miles. He was a great hand to travel nights.
He was never fatigued if he could sleep after
noon, and his afternoon nap he always took, if
possible, whether travelling not
stances. and l never saw him angry but once.
The circumstances were most trying In all his
travelling Mr.. Beecher had rule from which
he refused to deviate-he would never go to a
private house, unless It might be that of some
old friend. He travelling IN Iowa. and a
friend of his nexcongressman, and then pres
ident of railroad, invited him to stop at
his place and preach on Sunday Beecher
consented, provided special car should be sent
to the place where he leotured on Saturday even
ing, so that he would not have to travel
| on Sunday. and he should not be
| obliged to go to private house. l wrote
accordingly. The president came in his own
private car and took Mr. and Mrs. Beecher and
| myself to mis- town. On our arrival at A. NJ,
| he marched us to his own house. Mr.. Beecher
declined to 60 in. I assured you, he said to his
| would be host that would not go to private
| house, went back and tried to find hotel l
| could get into and reported to Mr.
| Beecher and told him the best ne could do was
| to remain al the house He then turned to the
| railroad president and said: very angry,
sirp Yet he had to stay there and the next morn
| ing he was all right He was splendidly enter
| tanned.
MIR Beecher was the best traveller | ever
knew after he got started. had great difficulty
in getting him to undertake long journeys nota-
/ bly, to California and to England the second
| time. had to urge the desire of the people and
| his friends to see him and work ali possible
motives for two or three years before he made
| UP his mind to the California trip. When he
| was travelling he never complained; he always
| found diversion. He would eat with the crowd
! at the poorest tavern and took what was set be-
fore him. he never had a meal in his room. He
| made himself at home in the cars and it would
| be ONLY few minutes after he had stepped into
| car full of people before he would be a general
| favorte, and everybody felt the better for mis-
being there.
| ssMr. Beecher was wonderfully fond Of chill
dren and he always carried oranges and candies
| in his pockets to helnentertain them the cars.
If he saw a poor mother, with baby crying in
her arms. he would 60 and comfort it and make
| it stop its crying when others failed. In coming
| up froSn Washingio time, characteristic
| incident occurred. There were two little chill
dren, boy and g.l, eight or nine years old in the
| car and they 1uddled close up together and zap
peared to be very fond OF each other. We had
breakfast at Wilmington, but the children die
| not get off the car and they had evidently trav
eled all night without anything to eat. Wher
Mr. Beecher came back from breakfast his arms
were laden with good things for the children
Then he talked to them He found that the,
were from the South, that their parents hat
died and that they were on their way to THU
city to find an uncle whom they expected tt
meet them. The train was late, what if the I'm
| Gle should fail to meet them? When the trail
| arrived in Jersey City, Mr.. Beecher got out o,
the car with the children walked slowly along
looking around to if he could discover any on
looking for the children. and got out between
the two ferries and stood there waiting unit
both boats had gone. Soon man came hurry
ing along in great distress and saw the two chill
dren but as he expected to find them unaccom
panied, he stopped in doubt Mr.. Beecher sus
pected that he might be the uncle and aske
him what be was looking for.
1.-two children
"Well,' said Mr.. Beecher I guess theyr
here. These look like two children, don't they
cit was the uncle, and he was indeed grateful
Thanking Mr. Beecher, he said:
"'Wil you kindly give me your namef
"'My name is Beecher
"'Where do you liver
"F1n Brooklyn